Issue - meetings

To adopt the draft response to the questions in the Welsh Government
Consultation on extending the duty on Local Authorities to broadcast
meetings (as noted in Appendix A), in order to respond to the consultation
on behalf of the Council.  

The report was submitted by Cllr Llio Elenid Owen.

DECISION

To adopt the draft response to the questions in the Welsh Government Consultation on extending the duty on Local Authorities to broadcast meetings (as noted in Appendix A), in order to respond to the consultation on behalf of the Council.  

DISCUSSION

It was discussed that the Welsh Government had launched a consultation to extend the duty to broadcast Council meetings. Although full Council meetings were required to be broadcast, it was highlighted that Cyngor Gwynedd was already broadcasting the meetings of the Cabinet, Planning, and the three Scrutiny committees as well.

It was stated that the Council welcomed extending the access of the people of Gwynedd to the work of the Council but was concerned about the additional pressure this would put on the Council financially and in terms of staffing resources. The concern about the technical resources required to be able to achieve this was reiterated, as there were no standard systems for webcasting meetings in Wales.

Attention was drawn to the potential positive impact that webcasting more meetings could have on the Welsh language.

It was explained that a discussion had taken place at the Democracy Services Committee on this matter, and that those members had agreed in principle but were concerned about the resources that would be needed to implement these plans.